Computing-machine.



F. F. MAIN.

COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men MAY 5, 1911.

1,268, 138. Patented June 4,1918.

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COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED my 5. 19H.

1,268,138. Patented June 4,1918..

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED 1. MAIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY INIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UN'DEBr- WOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMI'ANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. A. CORPORATION OF new roman COMPUTING-MACHINE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1911. Serial No. 625,409.

To all wh0m it may concern: Be 1t known that I, FRED F. MAIN, a citizen' of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Computing-Machines, of which the, following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines designed to add the amounts recorded. With my improvement the amount recorded may be either added or subtracted, at the will of the operator.

The objects of my invention are to handle accounts in such a way that the sum of the credits, secured in the usual way, may be diminished by the sum of thedebits or by each debit as listed thus showing the balance.

I accomplish these objects by the novel combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

Briefly outlined, my invention, illustrated by the accompanying drawing and hereinafter more specifically described, is an attachment for existing machines While I do not confine myself to any particular machine, I show my improvement as applied to the well known Hanson calculating machine, described in Patent Number 816,319, granted March 27, 1906. For reference I use the exponents of the reference letter used in the patent cited, for all parts ofthe original machine which I show.

I make no changes in the existing machine, except to put teeth on the numeral wheels of the existing register. I use idle gears arranged in two trains between each of these numeral wheels and a new set of numeral wheels, one of these trains is thrown intoaction normally for addition and the other train is thrown in by a key to reverse the direction of the new numeral wheels when the amount is to be subtracted. The same movement throws out the adding train.

In the original machine the transfer or carrying to the next higher order is accomplished by a two step movement, the first of which is caused by the transfer stud on the numeral wheel, the second step is caused by transfer must always work in the direction to add to the next higher order, I place the transfer studs on the new. numeral wheels with suitable means for causing .the first step, whether the new numeral wheels rotate to add or to subtract; The second step is performed in the same manner as now and the new numeral wheel is advanced if the shift is set to add, or it is reversed if it must borrow for subtraction.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like parts, in the several views, are designated by the same numerals.

Figure 1 is a side elevation with side plate removed.

Fig. 2 is top view with carrying mechanism removed.

Fig. 3 is a front view of idlers and shifting device.

Fig. 4 same as position.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this invention as embodied in the form shown in the drawings, O indicates one of a series of pin bars, one for each denominational column desired, which, in the Hanson machine above-mentioned, are provided with aseries of nine pins settable by the numeral keys of the typewriter, to determine the extent of movement of the bars. These pin bars are members on which items are temporarily set up or registered, and therefore form an item register. These bars are provided with the usual rack engaging an associated pinion 3 mounted on a shaft 1, so as to be capable of rotating relative thereto. Connected to each of the gears 3 there is provided a star wheel 7 and a driving or computing wheel 44, which in the Hanson machine is the numeral bearing wheel. In this case, however, the wheel is provided with teeth, as plainly shown in Fig. 1, so as to enable it to act as a gear to drive other gears. There area number of these driving or computi wheels 44 which form a set or series, whic may be termed the primary set.

Meshing with each of the com uting 3 with shift in opposite Patented June 4,1918.

50 the return of the handle. As the present wheels 44 there is provided a gear 41 oosely gear in two trains of gears connecting the computing wheels 44 with another set ofdial orcomputing wheels 33 mounted to rotate on a shaft 30. For the purpose of distinction, this set or series of computing wheels may be termed the secondary set.

These wheels 33 will be provided with gear' teeth, and also provided with numerals from 0 to 9, as is plainly shown in Fig. 2. These wheels form a register which exhibits the total to the operative.

One of the trains of gears connecting each of the computing wheels 44 with each of the dial wheels 33 comprises the gear 41 and gears 43 and 35. The other of the trains of gears comprises the gear 41, a gear 39, a gear 37 and the gear 35. The gears 35 and 39 are loosely mounted on shafts 34 and 38 respectively, so as to be capable of rotating relativethereto. The gears 37 and 43 are mounted to rotate relative to shafts 36 and 42' respectively, but are connectedQto these shaftsso that if the shafts are moved bodily sidewise, the gears w-ill'move with them. This may be accomplished in any suitable mannor, as by placing fixed collars on the shafts 36 and 42 between the adjacent gears 43, or it may be accomplished by setting the gears 37 and 43 in annular grooves formed in the shafts 36 and 42.

The purpose of having two trains of gears between the set of computing wheels 44 and the set of dial wheels 33 is to enable the numbers run up on the computing wheels 44 to be run up on the dial wheels 33, either forwardly or backwardly, so as to either add or subtract. .It is evident that both trains of gears cannot be in use at the same time, as they rotate the dial wheels 33 in opposite directions. In order to avoid this it will be seen, by reference to the shafts 36 and 42 are slidingly mounted in bearings in plates 72 and 73, and are themselves connected together, so as to move in unison by plates 68 and 70. It will be further noted that the gears 37 are longitudinally fixed to the shaft 36 in spaced relation from each other and in staggered relation to the gears 43 which are longitudinally fixed on the shaft 42. That is to say, the gears 43 are arranged in planes out of a-linement with the planes of the gears 37. It will therefore be evident that if the frame, which comprises the shafts 36, 42 and the side plates 68 and 70, is in the position shown in Fig. 1, that the gears 37 will be in mesh with the gears 35, while the gears 43 are out of mesh with the gears 35; and further that when the frame is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the gears 37 will be out of mesh with the gears 35, and the gears 43 will be in mesh with the gears TlllS arrangement enables the numbers Figs. 3 and 4, that is slidingly mounted in the bracket 65 and projects downwardly to rest on top of one arm of a bell crank lever 67 which is pivotally mounted at 66. The other arm of this bell crank lever rests against a projection or lug on the side plate 68 of the shifting frame, so that when the key 64 is depressed from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, the shift frame will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 against the tension of aleaf spring 69, which normally holds the shift frame and the connected gears 37 and 43 in the position shown in Fig. 3. The shift key 64 may be locked in any adjusted position by any suitable locking means, not show-n. In order that the gears 37 and 43 may be held so that they will register and mesh -with the apposite gears, there are provided locking pawls 46 and 45.

p In the usual type of Hanson machine described in the above-mentioned patent, a special tooth is provided on each of the computing wheels 44, so that it will shift a mutilated gear 15 to such a position that one of the teeth thereon will be subsequently actuated on the return of the handle and general operator by the associated one of a series of spirally arranged toothed arms 21 on a shaft 20, whereby the mutilated gear 15 and a trident wheel 16, which are secured together to form a composite tens carrying wheel, is rotated through one-third of a revolution, so that one of the three teeth on the wheel 16 will engage and rotate one-tenth of a revolution the star wheel 7 connected to the computing wheel 44 of the next higher order or denomination. The same type of registering or over throw-preventing dogs. are shown in this case as in the usual Hanson machine. These dogs 10 and 18 are mounted on a shaft 11, and are held in locking engagement by a spring 13.

In this case, instead of providing the extra tooth on the computing wheel 44 for effecting the tens carrying operation at each on which the cam is supported. This arm,

together with a similar arm, are pivotally connected together at 56, and form a toggle joint, one end of which is pivotally mounted to a fixed support, and the other end of which is pivotally mounted on a lever 60.

The lever 60 carries a pawl 61 pivotally mounted on the lever 60 and connected thereto by a spring 63, which normally holds the lower end of the pawl into engagement with one of the teeth of the gear 15. A spring 62 is fixed at oneend to a suitable support, and at the other end to the lever 60 and normally under a tension, so as to tend to pull the lever 60 and the pawl 61 from the full line position, indicated in Fig. 1, to the dotted line position, whereby the associated tens carrying wheel, comprising the gear wheel 15 and the trident wheel 16, will be moved a fraction of a revolution, so as to start a tens-carrying operation. It will be seen, however, that when the toggle is in the state shown in full lines in Fig. 1 that it will be on a dead center, so as to effectually lock the lever 60 and the pawl 61 in their raised position.

A. stop 57 is provided so that the toggle cannot go beyond a dead center. It is evident, however, that when one of the teeth 59, coming from either direction, hits against either of the beveled sides of the cam 58, the hinge point 56 of the toggle will be swung slightly upward, so as to enable the spring 62 to act, effecting a starting rotation of the tens carrying wheel through the intermediary of the lever 60, and the pawl 61, which is completed in the usual way by the assisting segment 21. After a computing operation has been carried on, it is necessary to return such of the toggles as have been sprung to their raised position in order to reset them against the tension of the springs 62, so that they will be capable of acting in future tens-carrying operations.

For this purpose, there is provided an inverted U-shaped rocking frame 51 pivotally mounted at 52 and having the cross bar thereof arranged above all of the toggles of a single computing head. The rocking frame 51 is swung rearwardly during the last portion of the return motion of the general operator or handle, so that it comes in engagement with the toggles and straightens them out to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. This is accomplished by connecting the rocking frame by means of a hook link 54 to a cross bar 55, which is actuated by the general operator or handle.

In order that the gears 35, 37 and 39 may be ad usted or held adjusted so as to properly mesh with each other when the gears 37 are shifted, there is provided a justifying lock 47, which is shown in the form of a snake-like spring plate having a loop engaging each of the gears 35, 37 and 39. This lock 47 is pivotally mounted at one side on a hinge rod 48, so as to be capable of swinging back and forth from a position in engagement with the gears to a position out of engagement with the gears. A torsional sprlng 49 is wound on the hinge rod 48 and connected to a rod 48" on the lock 47 ,so as to normally tend to hold the lock out of contact with the gears. In order that this look 47 may be in engagement with the gears when a computation running up is not actually being carried on, so that the change from adding to subtracting, or vice versa, can be made, there is rovided an arm 50 connected to the lock 47 and extending on the opposite side of the hinge rod 48 to such a position that it will be readily engaged by the cross bar of the rocking frame 51, when the latter is in the position indicated in Fig. 1. The rocking frame 51 is automatically raised when the general operator or handle moves forward to move the bar 55 forward, by means of a spring 53.

In the operation 'of the device, the pins are set by the numeral keys of the typewriter (not shown), in the usual manner, on the bars C. The general operator or handle is then brought forward so that the bar 55 will also move forward, permitting the spring 53 to raise the rocking frame 51 out of contact with the justifying lock arm 50, and out of contact with the tens carrying toggles. If the gears 37 are in mesh with the gears 35, as shown in Fig. 3, the numbers run up on the computing wheels 44 by the rack bar C meshing with the gears 44, will be transferred through the train of gears 40, 39, 37 and 35 to the dial wheels 33, and in such a direction that the action will be a subtracting one.

If any of the dial wheels 33 should happen to run over from 9 to 0, the tooth 59 thereof will come in engagement with the cam 58, so as to raise one of the links on the toggle, thus breaking the dead center lock, enabling the spring 62 to act to cause the pawl 61 to rotate the associated tens carryin wheel. This will enable the computing w eel 44 of the next higher denomination to move one tooth so that the associated dial wheel 33 will be rotated through the train of gearing to carry up one unit. On the return or backward move ment of the handle or general operator, the bar C will be returned in the usual manner, without rotating the computing Wheels 44. The bar 55 will also be returned during the last backward movement, so as to carry with it the rocking frame 51 against the tension of its spring 53. The cross bar of this rocking frame 51 will engage all of such toggles as have been sprung, so as to reset them to their dead center locked positions, at the same time bringing the justifying lock 47 into engagement with the associated gears 35, 37 and 39.

At this time, when the general operator handle has returned to its normal position, so that all the parts are in their normal position, the change can be made from adding to subtracting by pressing down fen the shift key 64, to move it from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4. This shift key will, through the intermediary of the bell crank lever 57, move the frame comprising the shafts 36 and 42 and the side plates 68 and 70 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, against the tension of the leaf spring 69.

In this position of the sh1ft frame and the shift key, the gears 37 will have been moved out of mesh with the gears and the gears 43 will have been brought into mesh with the gears 35, so that the drive from the computing wheels 44 to the dial wheels 33 will now be through the train of gears including the gears 41, 43 and'35. This corresponds to a rotation of the dial wheels 33 in an opposite direction to that of the other train of gears, so that the action will now be an adding one. The action may be carried on as explained in connection with the adding action, the tens-carrying opera tion being just as certain as the tens-carrying teeth 59 will cam up the toggles whether they come into engagement with the double faces of the cam 58 in one direction or the other,

The rack bars of the aforesaid Hanson patent form an item register in which members are temporarily registered by setting up pins, and the wheels 33 form a total register into which numbers are carried after being so set up in the item register.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a primary set of wheels, of a set of computing wheels adapted to add or subtract, means to enable the rotation of one of said sets from the other of said sets in either direction, a single set of carry-over teeth on the computing wheels, and carry-over devices controlled by said. teeth, and always efi'ective on the primary wheels in the same direction.

2. The combination with a series of computing wheels, each having a tens-carrying tooth, of a series of tens-carrying wheels, a pawl for each of said wheels, springs for actuating said pawls, and toggle locks for preventing the actuation of said springs; said toggle locks being arranged. to be broken by said teeth.

3. The combination with a computing wheel, of a tens-carrying wheel, a pawl for incense puting wheels forming a total register, of.

an item register always operative in the same direction, a tens-carrying tooth on each of said computing wheels, a series of tens. carrying wheels, a pawl for each of said wheels, springs for actuating said pawls, toggle joints for preventing the actuation of said springs, a general operator for carrying numbers registered in said item register into said total register; said toggle joints being arranged to be broken by the operation of said tens-carrying teeth, and means for restoring said toggle joints by said general operator.

5. The combinationwith computingwheels forming a total register, of an item register, wheels driven always in the same direction by said item register, a tens-carrying wheel for each of said item register wheels, a pawl for rotating each of said tens-carrying wheels, a toggle joint preventing the operation of said pawl, a spring normally tending to operate saidpawl, a tooth on each computing wheel for breaking the toggle to enable the action of said tens-carrying wheel, and a general operator for carrying numbers recorded in said item register into said total register for rotating said tens-carrying wheels and restoring said toggle joints. 6. The combination with an item register, of a total register, trains of gears connecting said registers, certain of said gears being movable to make and break the train, a justifying lock for holding the gears in proper register, so that they will mesh with each other, means for moving said lock out of engagement with said gears when numbers are being carried from said item register into said total register, a general operator for'so carrying numbers, and means for positively moving said justifying look into engagement with said gears at the end of an operation of said general operator.

7. In a computing machine, the combination with an item register and a total register, of trains of shiftable gearing connecting said registers, a general operator for carrying numbers from said item register into said total register, a justifying lock normally holding said gears in meshing positions, a spring normally tending to with draw said justifying lock, and means connected to said general "operator so that said general operator releases said lock except When in its normal idle position.

8. In a computing machine, the combinatlon with an item register, of a total register, wheels geared to said item register, a general operator for carrying numbers from the said item register into said total register, a power driven carry over shaft operated every time said general operator is operated, and carry-over teeth on the wheels forming said total register for selectively determining which wheels said carry-over shaft shall be effective on.

9. In a computing machine, the combination with an item register, of a total register, gearing between said registers, a general operator for carrying numbers from said item register into said total register, carry-over pawls set by said total register, a justifying lock for the gears between said item register and said total register, and an arm operated by said general operator for restoring any operated carry-over pawl after it is operated and for then restoring said justifying lock.

10. The combination with computing wheels and a general operator therefor, of carry-over devices normally tending to be effective, a toggle joint normally holding each carry-over device inefliective, and a carry-over tooth on each computing wheel adapted to break its toggle joint.

11. The combination with computing wheels and a general operator therefor, of carry-over devices normally tending to be effective, a toggle joint normally holding each carry-over device ineffective, a carryover tooth on each computing wheel adapted to break its toggle joint, and means whereby said general operator at the end of its operation restores said toggle joints to their effective positions.

12. The combination with computing wheels and a general operator therefor, of carry-over devices normally tending to be effective, a toggle joint normally holding each carry-over device inefiective, a carryover tooth on each computing wheel adapted to break its toggle joint, and means whereby said general operator at the end of its operation makes all said togglejoints ef fective to hold their carry-over devices, said -means including a device adapted to normally lock said toggle joints against being broken.

13. The combination with computing wheels and a, general operator therefor, of carry-over devices normally tending to be effective, a toggle joint normally holding each carry-over device ineffective, a carryover tooth on each computing wheel adapted to break its toggle joint, connections whereral operator drives said computin wheels on its first stroke, connections where y it completes the operation of said carry-over devices on its return stroke, and

means whereby said general operator at the end of its operation of the carry-over devices, makes all sa1d toggle joints effective said means to hold their carry-over devices,

lock

including a device adapted to normally said toggle oints against being broken.

14.. The combination with a set of computing wheels, of a second set of wheels, means effective through the second set of wheels for driving the wheels in the first set, devices on the first set of wheels for initiating carry-over operations, carry-over trains associated with the wheels of the second set, means extending from said initiating devices to said carry-over trains for starting the latter individually, and power-driven means for completing the movements of said carry-over trains, and thereby acting through the wheels of said second set to perform carry-over operations upon the wheels of said first set. I a

15. The combination with a set of computing wheels, of a second set of wheels, means effective through the second set of wheels for driving the wheels in the first set, reversible drive gearin being provided between the wheels in the first set and the wheels in the second set, devices on the first set of wheels for initiating carry-over operations, carry-over trains associated with the wheels of the second set, means extending from said. initiating devices to said carry-over trains for starting the latter individually, and power-driven means for completing the movements of said carry-over trains, and thereby acting through the wheels of said second set to perform carry-over operations upon the wheels of said first set.

16. The combination with a set of com puting wheels, of a second set of wheels, means effective through the second set of wheels for driving the wheels in the first set, devices on the first set of wheels for initiating carry-over operations when either adding or subtracting, carry-over trams associated with the wheels of the second set, means extending from said initiating devices; to said carry-over trains for starting the latter individually, and power-driven means for completing the movements of said carry-over trains, and thereby acting through the wheels of said second set to perform carry-over operations upon the wheels of said first set.

17. The combination with a set of computing wheels, each having a device for initiating a carry-over operation, of a second set of wheels, means effective through the second set of wheels for driving the wheels in the first set, and carry-over mechanism under the control of said initiating devices, and efiective upon said second set of wheels, for performing carry-over operations upon the wheels in said first set.

18. The combination with a series of primary wheels, of a series of computing wheels, means to selectively enable the rotation of one series of wheels from the other 0 series in either direction, a, single set; of czLlry-over teeth an the computing whcds a-nc'fi carry-oven devices contreiledi by said teeth zmi all ways effesfsive 2n the primary wheels in @116 same iireetimh 19; In at computing machine the cmnbinm tion xvii-h a reversible mta-I register, of a, 56 afwhecis (hive-n always in the same aiirew single sm'rymver dude-es said total register operative Whether it adds 01' subtracts, connections ext amfingbuck m said set 0f wheels for opemmng the carry-mm aim'ices 1501* the total reglstgr, sand total register nwhuhng RE set of computmg Wheels and a smgia 50%. of carry-over teeth on sand cmnpui mg wheels for cuntrolhng sand carryover devices E. MAIN Witnesses Hiummm V: Mum HUM-1: Nil-mm, 

